Henry Johnson turned his head and saw that the sliver of light through the crack happened to fall on Emily Cooper's face, making that vivid flush of red clearly visible. Even though he knew that the two people outside, already lost in passion, were unlikely to notice what was happening here, he still didn’t dare let the situation continue. His gaze finally landed on those full, tender lips, and in a flash of inspiration and heat, he lowered his head and kissed her without hesitation.

　　Caught off guard by this sudden assault, Emily Cooper seemed to lose all ability to resist, standing there frozen and motionless. Although his body was eight years old, Henry Johnson’s mind was much more mature, and the moment their lips touched, a surge of guilt and exhilaration rose up inside him at the same time.

　　No matter how many times he told himself that desperate times called for desperate measures, no matter how many times he reassured himself that an eight-year-old boy and a twelve-year-old girl couldn’t possibly do anything truly improper, he still couldn’t help but feel waves of anxiety. Even so, he still didn’t pull away from those fragrant lips.

　　Strictly speaking, this couldn’t be called a kiss, since he never even considered sticking out his tongue. Seeing the growing daze in Emily Cooper’s eyes, he finally pulled away a little.

　　He stole a glance through the crack with the corner of his eye and saw that the two people outside were already wildly entangled, clothes strewn messily all over the floor. Knowing that this was the moment when a man and woman would be least on guard, he whispered softly in Emily Cooper’s ear, “Listen to me and don’t make a sound—there are people outside. I sneaked out today, and if I get caught and dragged back, Father and Mother will definitely punish me. Sister Yan, you wouldn’t want to see me get beaten, would you?”

　　Henry Johnson didn’t know whether Emily Cooper was aware of the affair between Lady Han and William Johnson, but he instinctively avoided the topic. When he saw the little girl nod with a flushed face, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

　　Thank goodness—if he hadn’t put in all that effort before, and if Emily Cooper hadn’t cooperated today, he’d be in much more trouble than just a little bad luck. In front of William Johnson, he’d always been the clever and studious Prince of Lu, and in front of Empress Wu, the obedient and well-behaved son. If anyone found out, it would be a huge disaster, and making up for it would be nearly impossible. Another thing to be grateful for was that the only one likely to cause trouble, Charles Johnson, had already been sent away.

　　In the darkness, he and Emily Cooper sat huddled together, with him whispering in her ear from time to time to distract her, and using his own body to shield her view. However, the space inside the cabinet was just too cramped. After being curled up for so long, not only were his own limbs numb, but Emily Cooper was also biting her lip, clearly on the verge of losing control.

　　Those two sneaking around outside should be about done by now—why is it taking so long!

　　Cursing inwardly, he peeked outside and saw William Johnson contentedly getting dressed, while Lady Han stood upright, helping William Johnson fasten his belt. The sight made his mind roar, and he hurriedly looked away. He’d always thought Empress Wu was well-endowed, but he hadn’t expected this concubine to be even more so—her curves gave no hint that she’d borne two children, and she was three years older than his mother!

　　After a moment of daze, he quickly came to his senses and gently massaged Emily Cooper’s feet, all the while keeping an eye on the situation outside. Fortunately, since this was an illicit affair, the man and woman tidied up quickly, and after about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the two of them walked out together, looking all prim and proper.

　　Even now, he still couldn’t understand why the two of them would choose this place for their tryst. The reason he’d been waiting here for Rongniang in the first place was because this was a servant’s room, with only two sitting couches and a small table—there wasn’t even a bed. Yet even in such shabby conditions, William Johnson and Lady Han could still indulge themselves so wildly—it was truly something.

　　After the people left and no one came in to clean up for a long time, Henry Johnson gradually concluded that no one would be coming. If even someone as well-informed as Empress Wu hadn’t sent anyone to deal with it, why would anyone else care? As for covering things up—anyone bold enough to gossip about this sort of thing was courting death. Besides, this was Luoyang, not Chang’an; when the whole entourage eventually returned, who would bother to investigate what had happened in such an inconspicuous room?

　　So, he carefully pushed open the cabinet door and then crawled out. The reason he crawled instead of jumped was because his legs were so numb it felt like thousands of needles were stabbing them. If it had been any other child his age, they probably would have burst into tears long ago. Of course, Emily Cooper was remarkable too—she hadn’t made a sound the whole time.

　　Once he finally managed to stand, he reached in and helped Emily Cooper out. She clearly wasn’t as steady as he was; as soon as her feet touched the ground, she staggered and nearly fell. On her once rosy lips was now a deep bloodstain, and on her fair, gentle cheeks, the marks of tears were clearly visible.

　　He searched himself in embarrassment but couldn’t find a handkerchief, so in the end he simply tore a piece of cloth from his undershirt and hurriedly wiped away her tears. Fortunately, Emily Cooper hadn’t used much powder on her face, so it wasn’t too noticeable.

　　“Sister Yan, I really have to thank you this time!”